Device for transferring batches of cigarettes from a formation line to a packing line for them to be packeted

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a device for transferring batches of cigarettes or similar from a batch formation line to a line where the said batches are actually packeted. The device in question comprises: an inching rotating head, provided with (a) a pair of four radial surfaces, two by two, parallel and spaced proportionately to the thickness of the layers that form a packet of cigarettes and (b) a pair of grippers, each of which provided with fork shaped jaws which encompass the said radial surfaces; means for cyclically parting the jaws; a movable vertical wall which extends parallel to the cigarettes so as to retain them whilst they are being inserted in between the said four radial surfaces and when the jaws of the grippers are open. The batches of cigarettes are collected and transferred in succession to the processing units further along the line by a pusher, at the side of which there are two parallel vertical walls which move with it in order to keep the cigarettes properly positioned whilst they are being transferred. Thanks to the protection afforded by the retaining walls, no harmful pressure is applied to the cigarettes during the time they are being moved.

United States Patent [191 Seragnoli, deceased et al.

[ Dec. 16, 1975 DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING BATCI-IES OF CIGARETTES FROM AFORMATION LINE TO A PACKING LINE FOR THEM TO BE PACKETED [73] Assignee:G.D. Societa in Accomandita Semplice di Enzo Seragnoli e AriostoSeragnoli, Italy [22] Filed: Dec. 10, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 423,222

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 5, 1973 Italy 3346A-73 [52]US. Cl 198/20 C; 198/210; 198/243; 214/1 BD [51] Int. Cl. B65G 37/00[58] Field of Search l. 214/1 Q, 1 QA, 1 R, l B; 198/20 R, 20 C, 211,107, 210, 25, 242, 243

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Seragnoli 198/210 X Satheret al 214/1 Q FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,345,498 10/1963 France214/1 Q Primary ExaminerFrank E. Werner Attorney, Agent, or Firm-RobertE. Burns; Emmanuel J. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams [5 7] ABSTRACT Disclosedherein is a device for transferring batches of cigarettes or similarfrom a batch formation line to a line where the said batches areactually packeted. The device in question comprises: an inching rotatinghead, provided with (a) a pair of four radial surfaces, two by two,parallel and spaced proportionately to the thickness of the layers thatform a packet of cigarettes and (b) a pair of grippers, each of whichprovided with fork shaped jaws which encompass the said radial surfaces;means for cyclically parting the jaws; a movable vertical wall whichextends parallel to the cigarettes so as to retain them whilst they arebeing inserted in between the said four radial surfaces and when thejaws of the grippers are open.

The batches of cigarettes are collected and transferred in succession tothe processing units further along the line by a pusher, at the side ofwhich there are two parallel vertical walls which move with it in orderto keep the cigarettes properly positioned whilst they are beingtransferred.

Thanks to the protection afforded by the retaining walls, no harmfulpressure is applied to the cigarettes during the time they are beingmoved.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet1of34.3,926,300

US. Patent Dec. 16,1975 Sheet2of'3 3,926,300

US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,926,300

DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING BATCHES OF CIGARETTES FROM A FORMATION LINE TO APACKING LINE FOR THEM TO BE PACKETEI) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONformation line to a packing line for them to be packeted on high outputspeed wrapping/packeting machines, such as, for example, the machineaccording to US. Pat. No. 3,628,309 by the same Applicants.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART As is known, cigarette wrapping/packetingmachines according to the above mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,628,309 haverecently been designed by the same Applicants as herein, on which bothduring the stage when the cigarettes are being batched in packetconfiguration and when they are actually being wrapped in finishedpacket form, they move along the processing line with their axispositioned transversely to the infeed direction so as not to ever besubjected to axial pressure, which could damage them and which usuallyoccurred with the forerunners of these particular high speed units.

In conformity with the aforementioned principle, these high speedmachines employ a device with which to transfer the batches ofcigarettes from a batch formation line to a packing line where thepacketing is done and this essentially consists in a rotatable wheelwith radial grippers, each of which is formed by a fixed arm and amovable arm which is also provided with surfaces for transverselygrasping the individual cigarettes in the layer of cigarettes located bythe side of the movable arm, the closing and opening movements of whichto grasp and release, respectively, the batch of cigarettes aresynchronized with the rotation of the gripper wheel and with the unitsfor the delivery and the collection, respectively, of the said batchesto and from the said gripper wheel (see, for example, US. Pat. No.3,501,023 by the same Applicants).

With the continual increase in the speed of the aforementioned highspeed wrapping/packeting machines, the said rotatable wheel device withradial grippers for the transfer of the batches of cigarettes from thebatch formation line to the packing line where the batches are packeted,has shown itself to be inadequate because of its configuration andstructure, thereby causing frequent breaks in the succession of thebatches being infed to the packing line, the consequential result ofwhich is stoppages on the part of the wrapping/packeting machine andthus a lower global output than there should really be.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is toenable high speed wrapping/packeting machines of the type in question,to operate at their maximum potential and to guarantee that they arecontinuously supplied with an unbroken succession of batches ofcigarettes to be packeted.

A further consequential object of the invention is, therefore, toprovide a device of the type mentioned above for transferring thecigarettes, the configuration and structure of which are such that it isable to definitely operate at the same speed as the wrapping/packetingmachine itself.

Essential features of a transfer device of this nature are, in fact, aninching rotating head, provided with (a) a pair of four radial surfaces,two by two, parallel and spaced proportionately to the thickness of thelayers that form a packet of cigarettes and (b) a pair of grippers, eachof which provided with fork shaped jaws that extend in a radialdirection and encompass the said radial surfaces, the termination ofeach jaw being curved in a direction perpendicular to the axis alongwhich the grippers themselves extend; means for cyclically parting thesaid jaws so as to change from a first position in which both are openin order to accept or transfer a batch of cigarettes, to a second closedposition whilst the rotating head is turning; a movable vertical wallwhich extends parallel to the cigarettes so as to retain them whilstthey are being inserted in between the said four radial surfaces andwhen the jaws of the grippers corresponding to the said four surfacesare open; and a pusher for collecting a batch of cigarettes when thegrippers are open and transferring it to the subsequent processing unitsfurther along the line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantagesof the invention will emerge more clearly from the following detaileddescription of a preferred but not the sole form of embodiment for thedevice in question, illustrated purely as an example in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the device forming the subject ofthe invention, mounted on a cigarette packeting machine;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, in diagrammatic form, of all the mechanismwhich operates the moving parts in the device;

FIG. 3 is a front view, on a reduced scale compared to FIG. 1, of thedevice and part of the drive mechanrsm.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the abovementioned figures and, in particular, to FIG. 2, the shaft of anelectric motor 1 has rigidly mounted on it a grooved wheel 2 which ismechanically linked, by means of the belts 3, to a sheave 4 keyed on toa shaft 5 supported by a fixed frame 21 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), insidewhich the complete motor unit described below, is housed.

Rigidly mounted on the shaft 5 there is a gearwheel 6 which meshes withan intermediate gearwheel 7 keyed to a shaft supported by the fixedframe 21. The said intermediate gearwheel 7 meshes with a gearwheel 56rigidly mounted on a shaft 9 supported by the said fixed frame. Theshaft 9 also carries a gearwheel 8 which meshes, in turn, with anintermediate gearwheel l0 and this transmits the movement to a gearwheell1 keyed on to a shaft 12, one end of which has mounted on it a plate 13carrying two needle bearings 14 which cyclically penetrate in thegrooves in a Geneva wheel 15 rigidly mounted on a shaft 16.

The shaft 16 which thus rotates intermittently, has keyed on to it agearwheel 17 which meshes with a 3 gearwheel 18 rigidly mounted on ahollow shaft 19 which protrudes from the fixed frame and with which arotatable head, referred to in its entirety as 20, is integral. Therotation of head 20, being thus derived from Geneva wheel 15,accordingly is intermittent (01' inching, as it is sometimes calledherein).

The said rotatable head 20, see FIGS. 1 and 3, is provided with a hub20a, fixed to the hollow shaft 19 and rotatable with it, as well as todiametrically opposed grippers 22.

Each gripper 22 is made up of an upper jaw 23 and a lower jaw 24, eachof which fork shaped and, in actual practice, each gripper can beconsidered as being constituted by the union of two identical grippers,parallel and side by side.

Both the termination 23a of each fork shaped upper jaw and thetermination 24a of each fork shaped lower jaw are curved in a directionperpendicular to the axis along which the grippers extend.

Each upper jaw 23 is integral with a sleeve 26 rigidly mounted on acorresponding spindle 27 with its axis parallel to the axis of rotationof the rotatable head and perpendicular to the direction along which thegrippers themselves extend. The said spindles 27 are rotatably supportedby the hub 20a of the rotatable head 20.

Likewise, each lower jaw 24 is integral with a corresponding sleeve (notshown in the figures) keyed on to a corresponding spindle 28 rotatablysupported by the hub of the rotatable head and parallel to the spindles27.

One extremity of a shaped lever 29 is pivoted to each spindle 27 whilstits other extremity is fastened to a lever 30 pivoted to the spindle 28placed on the same vertical axis.

Each of the said levers 29 is connected to the corresponding lever 30through an articulated joint 31 of the type known as a toggle joint andthis is kept constantly pressed up against a cam 32 keyed on to a shaft33, the profile of which is symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis.

The pressure of the two articulations 31 on the cam 32 is applied by twoupper springs 34 and two lower springs 35 (FIGS. 1, 3).

The shaft 33, see FIG. 2, passes inside the hollow shaft 19 so that head20, on shaft 19, is coaxial (and as shown, concentric) with cam 32 onshaft 33. An outer, foreward end of shaft 33 is secured to a radial arm34, to the end of which is pivoted a rotatable needle roller bearing 35and this engages in an eccentric groove machined in the face of a disccam 37 mounted on the shaft 9 from which it takes its movement (FIG. 2).

The above described mechanism 34, 19 causes the cam 32 to undergo anoscillating rotatory movement coaxially with the head 20 and,consequently, to cyclically move each of the two articulations 31,thereby causing the grippers 22 to open cyclically and more about thiswill be said later on in this text.

Four radial arms 38, each of which is placed in the same vertical planeas a corresponding upper jaw 23 of the grippers, extend from the hub 20aof the rotatable head. Each of the arms 38 is integral with a pair ofstrips 39a and 39b which serve as the support surface for the cigarettesand which extend along a plane perpendicular to that along which thejaws of the grippers open and close.

The said strips 39a and 39b are placed parallel, two by two, between thejaws of the grippers and their 4 spacing is proportionate to thethickness formed by the layers of cigarettes that go to make up thepacket.

The cigarettes 50, in batches ready to be packeted, carried in thecompartments of a conveyor 51 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 andforming the subject of another Patent Application, are pushed betweenthe four strips or surfaces 39a and 39b which are located on the righthand side of the rotatable head shown in FIG. 1, by a pusher 52 showndiagrammatically in FIG. 2, the moving parts of which are notillustrated since they are not part and parcel of the present Patent.Two vertical U shaped walls 40 and 40a are placed in two vertical andparallel planes.

Each wall is integral with a sleeve 41 and 41a rigidly mounted on a rack42 and 42a which meshes with a gearwheel 43 and 43a.

Both gearwheels 43 and 43a are keyed on to a shaft 44 which accordinglycauses oscillating movements of walls 40, 40a. The shaft 44 also carriesa gearwheel 45 which meshes with a toothed quadrant 46 supported by alever arm 47 pivoted on to a shaft 48 carried by the frame of themachine. The other arm of the lever 47 carries a needle roller bearing,invisible in FIG. 2 but similar to other roller bearings mentionedhereafter. The bearing or cam follower of lever 47 engages inside aneccentric groove machined in a face of a disc cam 54 keyed on to apowered shaft 55.

The shaft 55 takes its movement from the shaft 9 via the gearwheels 56,57, 58 and 59. At 80 there is a pusher located between the left handgrippers 23 and walls 40, 40a and integral with a rack 81 which mesheswith a gearwheel 82 keyed on to a shaft 83.

The shaft 83 has a gearwheel 60 rigidly mounted on it and this mesheswith a toothed quadrant 61 carried by a lever arm 62 pivoted on to theshaft 48. The other arm of the lever 62 carries a needle roller bearing49 which engages inside a groove 53, the eccentricity of which is thesame as that of the groove machined into the other face of the disc cam54.

Thus the walls 40 and 40a and the pusher 80 are all provided with anidentical horizontal cyclic traversing movement.

The shaft 55 also carries a cam 64 provided with an eccentric groove 65inside which a needle roller bearing 66, carried by a spindle 67integral with a lever 68 pivoted at 69, engages. The end of the leverarm 68 is pivotally secured to a link rod 70 connected to a rod 71 whichcarries a plate 72, the surface of which is perpendicular to thehorizontal axis of the grippers.

The arm 71, see FIG. 3, is sustained by the frame of the machine in sucha way that it is able to traverse horizontally with respect to the frameitself.

At 73 there is a square section bar with a bevelled edge, the axis ofwhich is crosswise with respect to the direction in which the cigarettesare transferred and is beneath the level of the transfer plane.

A gearwheel 74 is fixedly mounted on the axis of the said bar 73 andthis meshes with a toothed quadrant 75 keyed on to a shaft 76.

The said shaft 76 also carries an arm 78 on which there is a needleroller bearing 79 that engages in an eccentric groove in a cam rigidlymounted on the shaft 9.

In this way the bar 73 is given a cyclic oscillating movement around itsown axis coordinated with the movement of walls 40, 40a and 80. Its taskis to continuously provide the surface for transferring the batch ofcigarettes from the rotatable head to the packeting mechanism 88 showndiagrammatically in-FIGS. 2 and 3. I

A description will now be given of the operation of the device inquestion, assuming that a batch of cigarettes is being followed from thetime it arrives at a point corresponding to where the device forming thesubject of the invention is positioned, up until the time it leaves thesaid device.

The batch of cigarettes 50 is inserted transversely in the rotatablehead by the first pusher 52 when one gripper is in the horizontalposition at the right side of the cam, opposite this pusher, asperspectively shown in FIG. 2, and when the gripper jaws are forked. Thebatch is arranged in such a way that the cigarettes with which it iscomposed are inserted exactly in between the two upper surfaces 390 andthe two lower surfaces 3%. Once the batch is inside the aforementionedsurfaces 39a and 39b, the jaws 23 and 24 close and their curved parts23a and 24a, respectively, see to it that the batch is kept in position.

It should be noted that this transfer which is crosswise with respect tothe jaws but axial with respect to the cam, and to the actualcigarettes, does not in any way endanger either the condition or thecompactness of the product. Indeed with this particular form of transferthe cigarettes are not knocked but simply pushed and thus there is notthe slightest pressure applied that could be harmful.

To prevent the possibility of the batch of cigarettes not remaining inalignment when the jaws 23 and 24 are parted, the vertical plate 72 isprovided as an additional pusher. This plate extends parallel to thecigarettes and is positioned, during the said insertion stage, at apoint corresponding to the outside extremity of the jaws of the righthand gripper, so as to serve as a containment wall.

The opening and closing of the jaws is determined by the reciprocatingrotation of the cam 32.

The rotatory movement of the shaft 19 then takes place and the batch ofcigarettes goes to assume a position which is diametrically opposed tothat where the insertion took place.

The batch, freed in the said position from the action of the jaws 23 and24 is held by the strips or surfaces 39a and 3%.

At this juncture, the second pusher 80 comes into operation and pushesthe batch of cigarettes, which are also laterally held by the twosurfaces 40 and 40a, along to device 88 where the actual packetingoperation is performed. During this stage, the batch of cigarettestraverses horizontally along the aforementioned support surface formedby the bar 73.

It should be understood that the operations described herein refer toeach individual batch of cigarettes and that the said batches areinserted at a speed compatible with the batch formation process, inbetween the jaws which, due to the inching rotation of the rotatablehead 20, are periodically positioned horizontally on the right of thishead as seen in the drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for transferring batches of cigarettes from a conveyor topackaging device, comprising;

a transferring head having an axis of intermittent rotation; first andsecond guiding strip means, each for guiding a batch of cigarettes, saidfirst and second strip means being secured to said head on mutuallyopposite sides of said axis and each comprising a first pair of coplanarguiding strips and a second pair of coplanar guiding strips the stripsof each first pair being parallel to, symmetrical with and, spaced fromthe strips of the respective second pair and disposed to enable a batchof ciga- 5 rettes to be moved into and from position wherein thecigarettes of the batch are generally held between the strips; means foreffecting intermittent rotation of the head and of the first and secondguiding strip means secured thereto, between a first position whereinthe first guiding strip means is disposed for receiving a batch ofcigarettes and the second guiding strip means is disposed for releasinga batch of cigarettes, and a second. position wherein the second andfirst guiding strip means are, respectively, so disposed;

a first pusher disposed on one side of said axis, for movement parallelto said axis to push a batch of cigarettes from a conveyor to saidposition of the batch;

a second pusher disposed on the opposite side of said axis between theseveral coplanar guiding strips for pushing a batch of cigarettes fromsaid portion thereof; and

two parallel vertical walls disposed at sides of the latter pusher andof the guiding strip means to move with the latter pusher and thereby tokeep the cigarettes in proper positions while the batch of cigarettes isbeing transferred from the respective guiding strip means to a packagingdevice.

2. A device for transferring batches of cigarettes from a conveyor to apackaging device, comprising;

a transferring head having an axis of intermittent rotation; first andsecond guiding strip means, each having strips secured to said head forslidingly guiding a batch of cigarettes; means for effectingintermittent rotation of the head and of the first and second guidingstrip means between a first position wherein the first guiding stripmeans is disposed for receiving a batch of cigarettes and the secondguiding strip means is disposed for releasing a batch of cigarettes, anda second position wherein the second and first guiding strip means are,respectively, so disposed;

first pusher means disposed on one side of said axis, for movementparallel to said axis to push a batch of cigarettes from a conveyor tobetween the strips of one of said guiding strip means;

second pusher means disposed on the opposite side of said axis forpushing a batch of cigarettes from between said strips; and

a bar parallel to said axis of rotation and disposed to move cyclicallyaround an axis of its own parallel to said axis of rotation in order tocontinuously provide a surface for transfer of a batch of cigarettes toa packaging device.

3. A device for transferring batches of cigarettes from a conveyor to apackaging device, comprising;

a transferring head having an axis of intermittent rotation;

first and second guiding strip means, each for guiding a batch ofcigarettes, said first and second strip means being secured to said,head on mutually opposite sides of said axis and each comprising a firstpair of coplanar guiding strips spaced a part in a plane thereof and asecond similar pair of coplanar guiding strips, the strips of each firstpair being parallel to, symmetrical with and spaced from the strips ofthe respective second pair and disposed to 7 enable a batch ofcigarettes to be slidingly moved into and from a position of the batchwherein ends of the cigarettes of the batch are slidably supported bythe strips of the respective strip means;

means for effecting intermittent rotation of the head and of the firstand second guiding strip means secured thereto, between a first positionwherein the first guiding strip means is disposed for receiving a batch.of cigarettes and the second guiding strip means is disposed forreleasing a batch of cigarettes, and a second position wherein thesecond and first guiding strip means are, respectively, so disposed;

first and second jaw means mounted on said head for first and secondpusher means disposed on mutually opposite sides of said axis,respectively for (l) movement parallel to said axis to push a batch of 8cigarettes from a conveyor to said position of the batch and (2)movement transverse of said axis to slidingly push a batch of cigarettesfrom said position of the batch to a packaging device; and means forintermittently actuating said first and second pusher means, coordinatedwith the intermittent rotation of said head and actuation of said jawmeans, for said movements to push respective batches of cigarettes toand from said position thereof.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the means for actuation of thejaw means comprise a cam rotatable about said axis and cam followers onboth sides of said axis between said cam and said respective jaw means.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein the means for actuating thefirst and second pusher means comprises cam means rotatable about anaxis parallel to the axis of the transferring head.

6. A device according to claim 3 including third pusher means disposedon the same side of said axis as said first pusher means for pushing thebatch of cigarettes toward said axis after the pushing thereof parallelto said axis, before the actuation of said jaw means for said holding;and means for actuating said third pusher means coordinated with saidintermittent rotation of said head.

1. A device for transferring batches of cigarettes from a conveyor topackaging device, comprising; a transferring head having an axis ofintermittent rotation; first and second guiding strip means, each forguiding a batch of cigarettes, said first and second strip means beingsecured to said head on mutually opposite sides of said axis and eachcomprising a first pair of coplanar guiding strips and a second pair ofcoplanar guiding strips the strips of each first pair being parallel to,symmetrical with and, spaced from the strips of the respective secondpair and disposed to enable a batch of cigarettes to be moved into andfrom position wherein the cigarettes of the batch are generally heldbetween the strips; means for effecting intermittent rotation of thehead and of the first and second guiding strip means secured thereto,between a first position wherein the first guiding strip means isdisposed for receiving a batch of cigarettes and the second guidingstrip means is disposed for releasing a batch of cigarettes, and asecond position wherein the second and first guiding strip means are,respectively, so disposed; a first pusher disposed on one side of saidaxis, for movement parallel to said axis to push a batch of cigarettesfrom a conveyor to said position of the batch; a second pusher disposedon the opposite side of said axis between the several coplanar guidingstrips for pushing a batch of cigarettes from said portion thereof; andtwo parallel vertical walls disposed at sides of the latter pusher andof the guiding strip means to move with the latter pusher and thereby tokeep the cigarettes in proper positions while the batch of Cigarettes isbeing transferred from the respective guiding strip means to a packagingdevice.
 2. A device for transferring batches of cigarettes from aconveyor to a packaging device, comprising; a transferring head havingan axis of intermittent rotation; first and second guiding strip means,each having strips secured to said head for slidingly guiding a batch ofcigarettes; means for effecting intermittent rotation of the head and ofthe first and second guiding strip means between a first positionwherein the first guiding strip means is disposed for receiving a batchof cigarettes and the second guiding strip means is disposed forreleasing a batch of cigarettes, and a second position wherein thesecond and first guiding strip means are, respectively, so disposed;first pusher means disposed on one side of said axis, for movementparallel to said axis to push a batch of cigarettes from a conveyor tobetween the strips of one of said guiding strip means; second pushermeans disposed on the opposite side of said axis for pushing a batch ofcigarettes from between said strips; and a bar parallel to said axis ofrotation and disposed to move cyclically around an axis of its ownparallel to said axis of rotation in order to continuously provide asurface for transfer of a batch of cigarettes to a packaging device. 3.A device for transferring batches of cigarettes from a conveyor to apackaging device, comprising; a transferring head having an axis ofintermittent rotation; first and second guiding strip means, each forguiding a batch of cigarettes, said first and second strip means beingsecured to said head on mutually opposite sides of said axis and eachcomprising a first pair of coplanar guiding strips spaced a part in aplane thereof and a second similar pair of coplanar guiding strips, thestrips of each first pair being parallel to, symmetrical with and spacedfrom the strips of the respective second pair and disposed to enable abatch of cigarettes to be slidingly moved into and from a position ofthe batch wherein ends of the cigarettes of the batch are slidablysupported by the strips of the respective strip means; means foreffecting intermittent rotation of the head and of the first and secondguiding strip means secured thereto, between a first position whereinthe first guiding strip means is disposed for receiving a batch ofcigarettes and the second guiding strip means is disposed for releasinga batch of cigarettes, and a second position wherein the second andfirst guiding strip means are, respectively, so disposed; first andsecond jaw means mounted on said head for rotation therewith and formovement relative thereto, extending therefrom along and slightly beyondsaid strips of said first and second guiding strip means, respectively,for intermittently (a) holding batches of cigarettes slidably supportedby the strips of the first and second guiding strip means, and (b)releasing said batches; means for intermittent actuation of the jawmeans for said movement relative to the head, coordinated with theintermittent rotation of the head, for (a) said holding during saidrotation and (b) said releasing in said first and second positions;first and second pusher means disposed on mutually opposite sides ofsaid axis, respectively for (1) movement parallel to said axis to push abatch of cigarettes from a conveyor to said position of the batch and(2) movement transverse of said axis to slidingly push a batch ofcigarettes from said position of the batch to a packaging device; andmeans for intermittently actuating said first and second pusher means,coordinated with the intermittent rotation of said head and actuation ofsaid jaw means, for said movements to push respective batches ofcigarettes to and from said position thereof.
 4. A device according toclaim 3 wherein the means for actuation of the jaw means comprise a camrotatable about said axis and cam followers on both sides of said axisbeTween said cam and said respective jaw means.
 5. A device according toclaim 3 wherein the means for actuating the first and second pushermeans comprises cam means rotatable about an axis parallel to the axisof the transferring head.
 6. A device according to claim 3 includingthird pusher means disposed on the same side of said axis as said firstpusher means for pushing the batch of cigarettes toward said axis afterthe pushing thereof parallel to said axis, before the actuation of saidjaw means for said holding; and means for actuating said third pushermeans coordinated with said intermittent rotation of said head.